Professor Patricia M. Speck, DNSCFor her work as a board-certified family nurse practitioner and advanced practice forensic nurse, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing Professor Patricia M. Speck, DNSC, received the 2017 Professional Impact Award from End Violence Against Women International.
Speck is the first nurse to receive the honor, which was presented at the 2017 International Conference on Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence and Systems Change, an interprofessional meeting attended by more than 2,000 people representing 12 countries.
The Professional Impact Award recognizes professionals whose work significantly influences their community’s response to violence against women. It acknowledges their passionate engagement, heartfelt commitment and tireless dedication to the cause of ending violence against women.
Speck’s research focuses on the relationship between victimization and health, and the evaluation of systemwide therapeutic interventions to improve victim recovery. She also consults nationally and internationally to implement and evaluate systems change in the interprofessional response to victims of violence and to remedy health disparities locally, nationally, and in Africa, Eurasia, the Caribbean and the Americas.
EVAWI also saluted Speck as a dedicated professional who works with other professionals in her community, collaborating interprofessionally to create lasting systemic change. The award presentation noted, “because of [her] work, victims in their communities are more likely to receive the compassionate support and competent services they deserve, and perpetrators are more likely to be held accountable for their crimes.”
View a biographical video of Speck’s work and career that was shown as part of the EVAWI award presentation.